Fiber optic connector having at least one microactuator for precisely aligning an optical fiber and an associated fabrication method

Abstract

A fiber optic connector and an associated fabrication method includes a connector housing in which a substrate and at least one microactuator mounted on the substrate are disposed. The microactuator is adapted for movement relative to the substrate such that an optical fiber bonded to the microactuator can be controllably positioned with respect to an aperture defined in the front plate of the connector housing. One or more lens elements, such as graded index lens elements, can be at least partially disposed within respective ones of the apertures defined by the connector housing so as to collimate the optical signals transmitted via the respective optical fibers. The microactuator can include at least one bimorphic actuator having first and second layers formed of first and second materials, respectively, which respond differently to electrical stimuli. Accordingly, the bimorphic actuator can be deflected by electrical stimuli so as to be urged against a portion of the substrate to thereby controllably position the carrier relative to the substrate. As a result, the optical fiber can also be controllably positioned relative to a respective lens element. Thus, the optical signals transmitted by the aligned optical fibers can be effectively collimated by the lens elements so that the optical signals are more efficiently coupled to another optical device, such as another optical fiber.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber optic connector comprising: a substrate;   a lens element disposed in a fixed relation to said substrate; and   at least one microactuator mounted on said substrate and adapted for relative movement therewith, said at least one microactuator including a carrier comprising: a carrier body;   optical fiber holding means for receiving an optical fiber and for maintaining the optical fiber in a fixed position relative to said carrier body; and   at least one bimorphic actuator having first and second layers comprised of first and second different materials, respectively, wherein the first and second materials respond differently to electrical stimuli such that the first and second layers change in size in different manners, and wherein said bimorphic actuator is deflected by the electrical stimuli and urged against a portion of said substrate to thereby controllably move said carrier relative to said substrate from an initial position to an aligned position in which the optical fiber which is fixed in position relative to said carrier body is precisely aligned with said lens element.     
     
     
       2. A fiber optic connector according to claim 1 wherein said at least one bimorphic actuator comprises first and second bimorphic actuators, each bimorphic actuator having first and second layers comprised of first and second materials, respectively, which respond differently to electrical stimuli, wherein said first and second bimorphic actuators are disposed such that said first and second bimorphic actuators deflect in first and second orthogonal directions, respectively, in response to the electrical stimuli and urged against first and second portions of said substrate, respectively, to thereby controllably position said carrier in the first and second orthogonal directions relative to said substrate. 
     
     
       3. A fiber optic connector according to claim 2 wherein said at least one bimorphic actuator further comprises a third bimorphic actuator having first and second layers comprised of first and second materials, respectively, which respond differently to electrical stimuli, wherein said third bimorphic actuator is disposed so as to deflect in a third direction, orthogonal to the first and second directions, and be urged against a third portion of said substrate in response to electrical stimuli to thereby controllably position said respective carrier in the third direction relative to said substrate. 
     
     
       4. A fiber optic connector according to claim 1 wherein the first and second materials comprising the first and second layers, respectively, of said bimorphic actuator have first and second coefficients of thermal expansion, respectively, and wherein the fiber optic connector further comprises current supply means for providing current to said bimorphic actuator such that the first and second materials differentially expand to thereby deflect said bimorphic actuator. 
     
     
       5. A fiber optic connector according to claim 1 wherein the second layer of said bimorphic actuator is comprised of a piezoelectric material, and wherein the fiber optic connector comprises voltage supply means for providing a voltage to said bimorphic actuator such that said bimorphic actuator deflects. 
     
     
       6. A fiber optic connector according to claim 1 wherein said bimorphic actuator comprises an elongate central portion extending between opposed end portions, and wherein the opposed end portions are affixed to said carrier body such that the elongate central portion bends in response to the electrical stimuli. 
     
     
       7. A fiber optic connector according to claim 1 wherein said lens element is a graded index lens element. 
     
     
       8. A fiber optic connector according to claim 1 further comprising a connector housing in which said microactuator is disposed, wherein said connector housing defines at least one aperture in which said lens element is at least partially disposed. 
     
     
       9. A fiber optic connector according to claim 8 wherein said lens element comprises a metallized portion adapted to be disposed within a respective aperture defined by said connector housing such that said lens element can be affixed therein. 
     
     
       10. A fiber optic connector according to claim 8 wherein said connector housing further defines a plurality of apertures, and wherein the fiber optic connector further comprises: a plurality of lens elements disposed within respective ones of said plurality of apertures; and   a plurality of microactuators for precisely aligning the optical fibers with respective ones of said lens elements.   
     
     
       11. A fiber optic connector according to claim 1 wherein said optical fiber holding means comprises a groove defined in said carrier body. 
     
     
       12. A fiber optic connector comprising: a hermetically sealed connector housing defining a plurality of apertures through which optical signals are transmitted;   a substrate disposed within said connector housing; and   a plurality of microactuators mounted on said substrate and adapted for relative movement therewith, each microactuator including a carrier comprising: a carrier body;   optical fiber holding means for receiving a respective optical fiber and for maintaining the optical fiber in a fixed position relative to said carrier body; and   positioning means, responsive to actuation external to said hermetically sealed connector housing, for controllably positioning the carrier in at least two orthogonal directions relative to the substrate after the carrier and the substrate have been hermetically sealed within said connector housing such that the carrier is moved from an initial position to an aligned position in which the optical fiber which is fixed in position relative to said carrier body is precisely aligned with a respective aperture defined by said connector housing.     
     
     
       13. A fiber optic connector according to claim 12 wherein said positioning means comprises first and second bimorphic actuators, each bimorphic actuator having first and second layers comprised of first and second materials, respectively, which respond differently to electrical stimuli, wherein said first and second bimorphic actuators are disposed such that said first and second bimorphic actuators deflect in first and second orthogonal directions, respectively, in response to the electrical stimuli and urged against first and second portions of said substrate, respectively, to thereby controllably position said respective carrier in the first and second orthogonal directions relative to said substrate. 
     
     
       14. A fiber optic connector according to claim 13 wherein said positioning means further comprises a third bimorphic actuator having first and second layers comprised of first and second materials, respectively, which respond differently to electrical stimuli, wherein said third bimorphic actuator is disposed so as to deflect in a third direction, orthogonal to the first and second directions, and be urged against a third portion of said substrate in response to electrical stimuli to thereby controllably position said respective carrier in the third direction relative to said substrate. 
     
     
       15. A fiber optic connector according to claim 13 wherein the first and second materials comprising the first and second layers, respectively, of said bimorphic actuator have first and second coefficients of thermal expansion, and wherein the fiber optic connector further comprises current supply means for selectively providing current to each of said bimorphic actuator such that the first and second materials differentially expand to thereby deflect said respective bimorphic actuators. 
     
     
       16. A fiber optic connector according to claim 12 wherein the second layer of at least one of said bimorphic actuators is comprised of a piezoelectric material, and wherein the fiber optic connector comprises voltage supply means for providing a voltage to said at least one bimorphic actuator such that said at least one bimorphic actuator deflects. 
     
     
       17. A fiber optic connector according to claim 12 wherein each bimorphic actuator comprises an elongate central portion extending between opposed end portions, and wherein the opposed end portions are affixed to said carrier body such that the elongate central portion bends in response to the electrical stimuli. 
     
     
       18. A fiber optic connector according to claim 12 further comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed at least partially within respective ones of the plurality of apertures defined by said connector housing such that said plurality of microactuators precisely align the optical fibers with respective ones of said plurality of lens elements. 
     
     
       19. A fiber optic connector according to claim 18 wherein said plurality of lens elements comprise a plurality of graded index lens elements. 
     
     
       20. A fiber optic connector according to claim 18 wherein each lens element comprises a metallized portion adapted to be disposed within a respective aperture defined by said connector housing such that the respective lens element can be affixed therein. 
     
     
       21. A fiber optic connector according to claim 12 wherein said optical fiber holding means comprises a groove defined in said carrier body. 
     
     
       22. A method of fabricating a fiber optic connector comprising the steps of: mounting a carrier to a substrate such that the carrier is adapted to move relative to the substrate, wherein the carrier includes at least one bimorphic actuator having first and second layers comprised of first and second different materials, respectively, which respond differently to electrical stimuli such that the first and second layers change in size in different manners;   disposing an optical fiber in a fixed position relative to the carrier;   disposing a lens element in a fixed position relative to the substrate; and   deflecting the bimorphic actuator of the carrier such that the bimorphic actuator is urged against a portion of the substrate to thereby controllably move the carrier relative to the substrate from an initial position to an aligned position in which the optical fiber which is fixed in position relative to the carrier is precisely aligned with the lens element.   
     
     
       23. A method according to claim 22 wherein said deflecting step comprises the step of electrically stimulating the bimorphic actuator. 
     
     
       24. A method according to claim 22 wherein said mounting step comprises the step of mounting a plurality of carriers to the substrate, wherein said step of disposing an optical fiber in a fixed position relative to the carrier comprises the step of mounting an optical fiber on each carrier, wherein said step of disposing a lens element in a fixed position relative to the substrate comprises the step of disposing a plurality of lens elements in respective fixed positions relative to the substrate, and wherein said deflecting step comprises the step of individually deflecting the bimorphic actuator of each carrier such that each carrier is controllably positioned relative to the substrate and the optical fiber mounted on each carrier is precisely aligned with a respective lens element. 
     
     
       25. A method according to claim 22 further comprising the steps of: disposing the substrate and the carrier within a connector housing; and   hermetically sealing the connector housing with the substrate and the carrier disposed therein prior to said deflecting step.   
     
     
       26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the connector housing defines at least one aperture therein, and wherein said step of disposing the lens element in a fixed position relative to the substrate comprises the step of at least partially disposing the lens element in the aperture defined by the connector housing. 
     
     
       27. A method according to claim 26 wherein the lens element is at least partially metallized, and wherein said step of at least partially disposing the lens element the aperture defined by the connector housing comprises the step of soldering the metallized portion of the lens element to the connector housing. 
     
     
       28. A method according to claim 22 further comprising the step of bonding the carrier to the substrate following said deflecting step. 
     
     
       29. A method according to claim 22 wherein said step of disposing the optical fiber in a fixed position relative to the carrier comprises the step of bonding the optical fiber to the carrier.